ComFest crowds keeping it mellow

Sunday

Jun 30, 2013 at 12:01 AMJun 30, 2013 at 10:35 AM

There was little to worry about. There was a breeze, free music and plenty of fried food at ComFest yesterday. No one really complained about the rules or the lines for beer or henna tattoos. Throughout Goodale Park, good-humored people sported bare feet, bare midriffs and, occasionally, bare breasts.

Ryan Clark, The Columbus Dispatch

There was little to worry about. There was a breeze, free music and plenty of fried food at ComFest yesterday.

No one really complained about the rules or the lines for beer or henna tattoos. Throughout Goodale Park, good-humored people sported bare feet, bare midriffs and, occasionally, bare breasts.

About 25,000 people came to the second day of the 41st annual ComFest (short for Community Festival) yesterday, said spokeswoman Connie Everett. “It’s gone extremely well. We’ve had pitch-perfect weather and quite a mellow crowd,” she said in the afternoon, before storms arrived in the evening.

Thousands of people walked around the park yesterday, sampling the various bands playing and hoping to make a dent in the calories consumed from chowing down on a bucket of french fries or an entire turkey leg.

Trios of volunteers in bright orange shirts roamed the park, asking visitors to take down canopies and inspecting coolers for illicit alcohol. Large signs at most entrances to the park warned that carrying alcohol in could bring a $250 fine under Columbus law.

Few said they had issues with the policy, however, because vendors lined the streets selling mugs of beer, wine and mixed drinks. Proceeds of sales from all vendors help fund the event and go back to the community through the organization’s grants.

In addition to the music and food, ComFest acted as a forum for political and ideological debate, with discussions about gun violence and marriage equality, Everett said.

“These are tough issues, but we’ve had respectful conversations about them,” she said.

Respect occasionally went out the window when a group of Christian evangelists began proselytizing in a street, prompting some to engage in yelling matches about their beliefs. People with petitions to legalize marijuana and same-sex marriage in Ohio sought signatures nearby.

Columbus Police Sgt. Elrico Alli said the event was a success from a law-enforcement perspective.

“It’s been very calm, very organized and very safe,” he said.As of 5 p.m. yesterday, police had issued six marijuana-related charges and 15 parking citations, made one arrest for an outstanding misdemeanor warrant and impounded 15 vehicles.

Still, not everyone jumped into ComFest’s laid-back atmosphere. Matthew Garsky of Pickerington said he worried what some of the “loose behavior” he saw meant for society.

“It leaves room for a lot of vulgar stuff,” Garsky, 21, said. “I’m worried about whether we, as a country, are veering off the proper path.”